Spark-plug intensifier



i Jan. 23,1923.

' i 1,442,947 E. W. HOUSE. SPARK PLUG NTENSIFIER. FIL D DEc. 22. 1919.

Patented Milan". ll

at i

Ernest W. nousn, or ninnrnermiu, ALABAMA, ASSIGNOR or onn-ro'ua rn' To BASIL vr. ALLEN, or nrnnrrncnam, eraser/re.

sneak-Prue rn'r'nnsrmnn.

Application filed December 22, 1919. Serial No. 3t6,733.

T all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ERNEST W. Housn, a citizen of the United States, residingat Birmingham, in the county of Jefferson and State of Alabama, have invented new and b an useful Improvements in Spark-Plug Intensi fiers, of which the following is a specification. v

This invention relates to means for intensifying the size and heat of the sparks of spark plugs, v

' According to the present invention the intensifying of the spark of the spark plug is obtained by producing a spark in the circuit of the spark plug and exterior to the latter, which will result in a material intensifying of the spark at the sparking terminals of the spark plug.

The object of the invention is to embody the same in the form of a terminal connection capable of being conveniently applied to the terminal of an insulated wire or cable and provided with means for convenient engagement with the binding post of a spark plug, and also having means for producing a spark outside of the spark plug and at the terminal of the wire or cable, saicl means being adjustable to vary the length of'the gap andthereby vary the size of the spark at theterminals of the spark plug.

' The illustration in the accompanying drawings is that of one embodiment of the invention, and it will of course be understood that changes in the form, proportion, size and minor details may be made, within the scope of the claims, without departing from thespirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the drawings;

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a conventional form of spark plug having an electric conductor connected thereto by means of the present invention.

Figure 2isa perspective view illustrating an insulatedcable equipped with the .te'rminal of the present invention.

Figure 3 is a planvview of the device of the present invention prior "to its applicationto' a wire or cable.

Referring at first more particularly to Figure 3 of the drawings, it will be seen that the" present device is an integral structune stamped or otherwise produced from a metal blank j and includes a body 1 substantially dblongj' in fermi, from the middle of one longitudinal edge of which projects an integral arm 2 which is split or bifurcated longitudinally from its outer end a suitable distance inwardly thereby producing fingers 3. The bifurcation is enlarged and substantially circular in shape at the outer portion thereof so to provide a relatively large space between the fingers in order that binding posts or other conductors of differ ent sizes may be accommodated in the bi furcation. The longitudinal edges of the body 1 are provided with pointed prongs or spurs 4. A tongue 5 is formed in the arm 22 between the inner end of the bifurcation and the body 1, said tongue being defined byincisions extending along three sides thereof, whereby the tongue isonly partly severed from the arm and may be bent outwardly at an angle thereto.

The device of the present inventionis applied to an insulated wire or cable in the manner shown in Figure 2, wherein Sis an insulated cable and 7 is the bared terminal of the conductor enclosed within the insulation. 7 The body 1, which is formed from a blank of conducting material, preferably copper or other pliable and non-elastic material, is bent around the cable and the spurs or prongs 4: forced into the insulation by the mere application of the body to the cable.

Prior to theapplication of the device to the cable, the spurs or prongs 4. areof course bent at substantially right angles to the body 1 in order that said prongs or spurs may be conveniently forced into the insulation when applying the device to the cable, The body of the device is of course applied adjacent the extremity of the cable in order that the arm 2 may project longitudinally beyond the end of the cable. The tongue5 is bent out wardly so as to lie" across cable in proximity to the bared end of the conductor 7, v v a When equipped with the device of the present invention, as shown in FigureZthe cable issecured to a spark plug 8 in the manner shown in Figure 1, the binding post 9 being received between the fingers 3 and the binding nut 10 then applied to the threaded part of the post and screwed down tightly against the fingers and arm of the the end of the the engine reason of the gap between the barrel end. 7 of the conductor and the part 5 of the present terminal connection, and it will be found that the production. of a spark outside of the spark plug will materially intensify the spark at the sparking terminals of the spark plug. The gap between the parts 5 and 7 may be adjusted by bending the part 5 more or less towards the part 7.

From the foregoing description, it will be understood that the device of the present invention is complete in itself and may be conveniently applied to an insulated wire or cable in a very simple and eilicient manner. Moreover the connection of the present device with the binding post of: a spark plug in accordance with the usual manner of connecting a conductor thereto, and therefore the present device is applicable to any ordinary spark plug without requiring any changes or alterations therein. The presence of the device of the present invention does not interfere in any manner with the usual functions of the spark plug but on the contrary materially increases the sparking action thereof and will insure the proper functioning of the spark plug even though cylinder may be flooded with oil.

WVhile I have described that the body 1, of the device may be of copper or other pliable conducting material, I also contemplate the use of spring metal, the end portions of the body 1 at opposite sides of the arm 2 being bent into substantially'semicircular jaws capable of being snapped or sprung upon the terminal of an insulated wire or cable.

When the device has been shaped to the form shown in Figure 2 of the drawing, either in its pliable or elastic form, the body 1 constitutes a seat or socket for the reception of the terminal of an insulated wire or cable, and the spark terminal, constituted by the tongue 5, overhangs or laps the open inner end of the socket so as to come into proper relation with the bared end of the conducto in proper relation thereto to produce the desired spark.

What I claim is:

1. An electric terminal sparking connection including an arm having one end adapted for connection with a binding post and its opposite end provided with means for connection with theinsulation of an insulated wire or cable, said arm being provided at an. intermediate portion with a spark terminal disposed transversely of the arm.

2. An electric terminal sparking connection including an arm having one end adapted for connection with a binding post and its opposite end provided with means for connection with the insulation of an insulated wire or cable, said arm being provided at an intermediate portion with a spark terminal disposed transversely of the arm, said spark terminal being adjustable upon the arm,

3. An electric terminal sparking connection 'Jcluding an arm having one end adapted for connection with a binding post and its opposite end provided with means for connection with the insulation of an insulated wire or cable, said arm being provided at an ii'itcrn'iediate portion with a spark terminal disposed transversely of the arm, said spark terminal being adjustable to vary its angular relation with respect to the arm.

.srn electric terminal sparking conncv. tion including an arm having one end adapt ed for connection with a binding post and its opposite end provided with means for connection with an insulated wire or cable. said arm being provided at an interim-diam portion with a spark terminal disposed transversely of the arm, said spark terminal being defined by incisions in the arm and bendable to vary its angular disposition with respect to the arm.

5. An electric terminal sparking (30111160 tion including an arm having one end adapted for connection with a binding post and its opposite end provided with a laterally offset open ended cable receiving seat, and a spark terminal provided upon t 1e arm and extending across the inner open end of the seat.

6. An electric terminal sparking (10111160- tion consisiting of an integral device including an arm having one end adapted for connection with a binding post and provided at its other end with a cable receiving seat open at opposite ends, said seat being offset from the arm, and said arm being provided with a laterally disposed spark terminal extending across the inner open end of the seat.

7. An electric terminal sparking connection consisting of an arm provided at one end with spaced fingers to embrace a binding post and provided at its opposite end with an open ended offset cable receiving seat, said arm having a spark terminal projecting therefrom and extending across the open inner end of the seat.

, 8. An electric terminal sparking connection comprising an arm having one end adapted for engagement with a binding post and its opposite end provided with opposite laterally disposed jaws extending transversely of the arm and defining an open ended cable receiving seat, said jaws being provided with attaching prongs, and said arm having a spark terminal extending transversely therefrom and across the open inner end. of the cable receiving seat.

9. A blank for an electric terminal ing connection consisting of a body portion of bendable material provided with an integral arm extending transversely from one edge of the body, said arm being bifurcated sparkin its outer end portion to define a pair of fingers, and a spark terminal defined by incisions in the arm.

10. A blank for an electric terminal sparking connection consisting of a body portion of bendable material provided with an integral arm extending transversely from one edge of the body, said arm being bifurcated in its outer end portion to define a pair oi fingers, and a. spark terminal defined by incisions in the arm, the body portion being provided with attaching prongs.

11. The combination with a spark plug and an electric conductor, or a terminal sparking connection consisting of an arm. connected at one end to the spark plug and at its opposite end to the conductoig and provided at an intermediate portion with a transversely disposed spark terminal I in sparking relation with the terminal of the conductor.

12. The combination vwith a spark plug and an electric conductor, of an arm having one end connected to the spark plug and its other end provided with a seat receiving the conductor, an intermediate portion of the arm having a spark terminal projecting therefrom and disposed in sparking relation to the end of the conductor.

13/The combination with a spark plug and an insulated electric conductor having a bare terminal, of a terminal sparking connection secured at one end to the spark plug and at its opposite end to the insulation of the insulated conductorysaid sparking connection being provided with a spark terminal in sparking relation with the bare terminal of the electric conductor.

14. As a new article of manufacture, a metallic terminal connector for feed cables having a struck up tongue to cooperate with the conductor of a cable connected thereto to form a spark gap between the tongue and the conductor.

ERNEST W. HOUSE. 

